Seaweed: The Superfood With Perks

There are a lot of wonderful foods out there with plenty of benefits. We’re always on the lookout for new ones capable of providing us with the most benefits for each mouthful of them though. After all, optimizing our nutrition can only have good results, right? This is why we end up obsessing over “superfood”. These foods are credited with being especially nutritious and capable of catering to a diverse array of dietary needs. Almost everyone is familiar with kale at this point, but there are more options than that available. Most superfoods at vegetables and greenery though. A somewhat unexpected addition to the superfood list is seaweed. It turns out there is a lot to like about the various kinds of seaweed out there. Asian countries have known this for centuries and integrated seaweed into their diets. Now may be the time for you to start considering it as well if you’re particularly health conscious.

Nori
This variety of seaweed is actually one of the more commonly available kinds. Dried nori can be a particularly popular addition to snack bars and on its own. Dried seaweed chips aren’t necessarily everyone’s idea of a fun snack though. It is often paired with rice and can be easily added to a salad for an extra healthy kick. Some people lightly soak it in a sauce for additional flavor as well. The somewhat salty yet earthen taste can make a good addition to many dishes. The benefits of adding nori are what most of us are looking for though. This kind of seaweed is absolutely packed with vitamin C. Such a rich source of vitamin C helps protect your body from countless health issues as well as help support healthy skin too. The best part is that it offers an easily snacked on non-citrus source of vitamin C for people who aren’t fond of such fruits.

Arame
Unlike nori, arame doesn’t really have a particularly salty flavor. It is more often described as being slightly sweet with a somewhat umami flavor. This subtle flavor helps add an extra boost to any healthy eating desires you have because some studies have suggested umami-flavored foods are capable of helping you feel more full. Arame, like other seafood, is fairly flexible in how it can be eaten. Salads are a particularly popular way to utilize its flavor, but it also works well in pasta dishes with complex flavor. Some people have even been known to grind up dried arame and utilize it in other dishes as an accenting flavor or as a component in a recipe. It all depends on how much you want to utilize the flavor. You’ll likely want to look at your options when considering adding arame to your diet for varied ideas. The good news is, however you eat arame, it will always give you a good dose of magnesium and potassium.

Kombu
This form of seaweed is particularly well-loved by anyone on a diet. Kombu is a perfect way to add more fiber to your diet. The fiber-rich seaweed is as versatile in its uses as our previous two options as well. Admittedly, kombu tends to take less of a center stage than either nori or arame overall. It has a flavor that some have described as reminding them of soy sauce only richer and deeper. This means you generally don’t want to be using too much kombu on any one thing. However, that won’t stop you from getting benefits from eating it. There is also research that states that kombu is an excellent source of iodine as well. It offers a nice alternative to remembering to use iodized salt occasionally. These aren’t the only benefits either. Other studies have suggested compounds in kombu may reduce fat absorption as well as well as reducing the chances of unwelcome blood clots.

The Western world has gotten used to the idea of thinking of seaweed as a weed thanks to its name. Kelp, as it is more accurately called, is far more than that though. They are the vegetables of the ocean and as full of nutrients as their land-based counterparts. Integrating more kelp into our diets will not only improve our health, but allow us to shift some food cultivation to the oceans. This will let us feed the world while we all remain happy and healthy.